Cartesian adj.

variant of suffix -an (q.v.), with connective -i-. From Latin -ianus, in which the -i- originally was from the stem of the word being attached but later came to be felt as connective. In Middle English frequently it was -ien, via French.

Latin phrase, literally "I think, therefore I am;" the starting point of Cartesian philosophy (see Cartesian), from cogito, first person singular present indicative active of cogitare "to think" (see cogitation) + ergo "therefore" (see ergo) + sum, first person singular present indicative of esse "to be" (from PIE root *es- "to be").